Several hours later, the customers flowing into the store lulled a bit. There was no line in front of the counter anymore, but there were still at least fifty customers browsing the store's wares and twenty more lounging at the dining area, eating snacks or instant noodles while fiddling with their newly bought Viewing Jades.
Lin Mo returned to manning the counter and cash register while Liu Xiaoyu and Xiao Ya went back to stocking the shelves, assisting the customers and monitoring the Bulletin Board.
Nothing significant happened within the store after the earlier disturbance, but Lin Mo doubted it would always be that way. It just so happened that the new customers stepping into the store came after being recommended or brought by other existing customers.
If a group of customers like Rising Sun Ocean Pavilion appeared with high pride and a skeptical view of the store, trouble would still erupt.
In any case, he was satisfied that the day was about to be over again on a more peaceful note.
Meanwhile, the Bulletin Board remained filled with threads about the Sword Fairy's Floor 3 First Clear and the Southern Wu Kingdom's Crown Prince's arrival.
At one point, Yangyang exited the Shopkeeper's Quarters to take a break from answering hotline calls and moderating the Community Section of the Store Bulletin Board.
Lin Mo could only wryly smile as he fetched her drinks and snacks, telling her to not hesitate taking a break.
It's still that hard despite the automatic moderation she set up. It had to be refined more but with the day being as busy as it is, it has to wait for tomorrow.
"Boss, after reading all these threads about the tower, my hand is itching to try my hand at it."
While Lin Mo was idle, Liu Xiaoyu bounded over, her usual enthusiasm still brightening up the store.
Looking at her, Lin Mo suspected that she was starting to get bored at simply reading the threads and comments. She wanted some action too, especially when the top threads were all about the Sword Fairy and some other threads of challengers narrating what they experienced inside.
"Well, if you're up for it, you can go. You're not obligated to be here every day. You can take a day off if you want." Lin Mo answered nonchalantly. He understood there were no guidelines to her employment, but he was not a slave worker who would deprive his lively assistant of her freedom.
Her eyes instantly lit up but then her eyes narrowed at him, "Whoa. What a surprise, Boss. You're not going to say you need my help running the store?"
Lin Mo casually shrugged and smirked, "Xiaoyu, aren't I a magnanimous 'boss'? I'm telling you that you can take a day off. Why? Do you not believe I can run this store without you?"
"Well… considering your performance. Maybe you can but Boss, won't this store lose its shine if this prodigious assistant does not show up to work?"
Liu Xiaoyu pointed at herself as she put on a smug expression.
Xiao Ya who was not far from them giggled at her antics while Lin Mo simply shook his head and flicked her forehead.
"Sure, sure. You're the bright star of our Divine Convenience Store. So, which is it? Do you not want to go test the tower?"
"I'll test it. Of course! I'm just worried about you, Boss." She pouted and crossed her arms unhappily.
"Heh. Look at you, have you grown attached to me already?" Lin Mo teased, "You're a whirlwind of energy and you're extremely helpful, alright. But the store won't go down if you take a day off. If you want to test your mettle in the tower, go for it. Just don't come crying to me if you get stuck on Floor 1."
Liu Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue playfully, her Heaven's Reflex making the gesture almost too precise. "Psh, Floor 1? What do you think of your prodigious assistant, Boss? Watch me breeze through that tower and open a portal for you to the Fractured Realm. I can give the Sword Fairy a run for her money!"
"Mhm. On top of being prodigious, you're also too boastful. Sure, let me see you break the record of Sword Fairy. Her sword path is already so advanced. Her Sword Will is too impressive. You've got… what, boundless enthusiasm and a knack for breaking things?"
"Hey!" Xiaoyu protested, puffing out her cheeks. "I've got skills too, Boss! You still don't believe in my prodigious skill, Boss! Alright. I'll show you!"
Obviously, Lin Mo wasn't trying to belittle her, he just found her amusing to tease, especially when she kept on and on with her being a prodigy.
With how mysterious her background is, she'll definitely not be stopped at Floor 1.
He watched Liu Xiaoyu stomped away and picked up a shopping basket.
When she returned, she smilingly declared as she put down a basket full of utility items such as Sticker Seal, Pills and Card Talismans, "Boss, ring me up. I'm stocking up for my tower challenge."
He just shook his head as he charged her through her Personal Balance. The girl then swiped it all, putting everything she bought in her spatial pouch.
"Un. Great. I'll go back to moderating the Bulletin Board, Boss!' She saluted and ran away to where Xiao Ya was resting and began fiddling with her Viewing Jade again as though nothing happened for the last few minutes.
Lin Mo didn't dwell on it too much. He's also not worried about her losing her life in it. She's smarter than she looks despite her quirks. Besides, he could tell that if faced with those cultivators of the same stage, she's peerless. Zhou Rui and Yan Wei will not be her match at all.
Nevertheless, Lin Mo could also admit that her enthusiasm to go to the tower enticed him. He got reincarnated to this world. He got his second chance at life. He even became a cultivator. Will he really spend his days just managing the store?
It may not have any grand ambition for himself but he won't mind taking a day off too.
But then again, if he goes to challenge the Conduit Tower, will he be able to clear at least Floor 1? With no combat experience or an actual overpowered cheat that many transmigrators from the novels he read possessed, he might just use an Emergency Escape Talisman before meeting the Floor Guardian.
"... Yeah. I should do something to change that." He mused to himself as his gaze shifted to the invisible formation in the middle of the store and locked in on the Heavenly Mirage Illusion Orb. It's the perfect artifact to help him gain it.
He won't aim to be a monstrous genius, but he at least need to hone his survival instincts that can preserve his life.
As the day continued to pass, the Bulletin Board bustled with activity.
Praises and cheers kept being thrown at Jiang Jianxin, the Sword Fairy, she was reportedly seen leaving the vicinity of the Tower as soon as she exited after her Floor 3 challenge.
The Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect cultivators also spoke for her, stating that she was going to undergo a closed-door cultivation session to consolidate the insights she gained during her tower challenge.
To Lin Mo's surprise, however, the Sword Fairy sent him a direct message hours later, inquiring about the Tower's origins.
He didn't deprive her of answers. He gave her the same explanation he gave Yu Qingyan. That's it's a trial ground manifesting from one of the Fractured Planes hovering near the Realm of Nine Heavens. And it serves to be a trial ground for the cultivator.
The Sword Fairy didn't press him for every detail as she also came to that conclusion but she was fascinated by the idea of the Fractured Planes.
After that, Jiang Jianxin also gave him a piece of information. About an underground ruin that screams 'Anchor' to his face.
It piqued more of his interest when he learned that a group of Cerulean Sword Sect cultivators led by a Deacon had already ventured into it.
He immediately asked the Sword Fairy for cooperation on posting a detailed account of it. Unfortunately, she refused. She stated that it was not within her authority to decide such things.
On the brighter side, she gave her word about asking her master, the Cerulean Cloud Sword Sect Master, for permission.
She didn't promise a full disclosure, but at least, that's a start.
Lin Mo understood that for sects like them, such a discovery would be treated in utmost secrecy as most secret realms were also discovered that way.
Why would they let every other cultivator share the knowledge of what might be a secret realm that might contain treasures of unimaginable value?
If not for Yu Qingyan's caravan spotting the appearance of the Conduit Tower, it, too, would probably be claimed by the quickest faction to arrive and subdue the unending wave of foreign creatures – like most other towers that appeared before it.
As for the matter of the Crown Prince, Yu Qingyan sent him an update.
The Crown Prince remained skeptical about the store's involvement, so he arranged a retinue of his soldiers to visit Fanling City to seek out the store and his royal sister, Princess Meiyu.
"Easy, Miss Yu. They won't be a problem if they're converted to customers."
That's all Lin Mo replied to Yu Qingyan when asked what he was going to do about it.